Teenage Acne Advice August 02 2016, 0 Comments

By GraysonT

As a teenager who struggles with acne, although not much anymore but I still do have remnants of their presence (scars), I understand how much of a emotionally breaking experience it can be. It’s hard enough to fit in and do work while also keeping up a good image but when acne hits the place where everyone sees, the problems just gets 10 times harder. So I will explore as to why teenagers are more prone to breakouts:

Hormones: You saw this one coming. Raging hormones can cause over productive oil glands leading to more blockage. These blocks can cause acne bacteria to thrive and cause that nasty, inflamed pimple that is so familiar to all of us.

Not sticking to a skincare routine: It can be tempting to switch products when one doesn’t work to your liking but it is important not to bombard and overwhelm your skin with products. Let the skin adjust to a routine that is gentle and effective and smart.

Myths: Many myths for acne are out there and it’s important to do your research that I have stressed so many times in my articles.Misleading marketing, especially those directed at teens, is tempting but don’t fall for it. Keep your expectations realistic and don’t expect instant results, acne takes time to solve.

Makeup: This one mostly applies to the ladies but to the guys who do it, hey, I don’t judge. Many pile on makeup to cover up their imperfections and what this does is suffocate the face. Let your skin breathe and use light and gentle products.

Hair styling products: I myself use loads of hair products but luckily, I never ran into acne problems with it, but for some it’s a cause. Pomades, waxes, hairsprays, mousse, and anything else can come into contact with your skin especially your forehead and hairline. Avoid them or at least use products that don’t clog or irritate skin.

Now that we’ve explored that, I’ll come up with a skincare routine that will help reduce your acne greatly that you can tailor yourself. There are a lot out there and I’ve already written an article on how to develop one so I’ll keep this simple:

1. Cleanse

2. Exfoliate

3. Treat

4. Moisturize/Protect

1. Use a gentle cleanser, no fancy ingredients and no irritants. Use cosdna.com to help you find one. Just type the name of the product and it will show its score according to ingredient list. I personally use CeraVe Foaming Wash.

2. Use a salicylic acid treatment of at least 2.0%. A lot of drugstore products lack the required pH to properly exfoliate so I highly recommend Paula’s Choice products and Diana Yvonne’s.

3. This is optional but use benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria. This along with the SA will banish those pimples for sure in a matter of days. I can’t recommend a product with confidence as I use a prescription but I heard good things about the Neutrogena BP line.

4. Moisturize your skin. Many fall into the notion that those with oily skin should not do this but that simply isn’t true. Moisturizing your skin will make it appear healthier and prevent any more oil production your body will try to produce to compensate for dry skin. Also use SPF of 15 or higher. I recommend the CeraVe and Neutrogena line but there are others out there.

That’s it! Skincare made easy. However, many factors play into acne so while this may help; it may not eradicate the condition for good. Stay positive, listen to your body, and stay beautiful friends! Have a good day!